The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1887-02-03
CURES BY HYPNOTISM.
TIE MARVELLOUS WORK OF DOCTOR
CHARCOT, OF PARIS.

| CHARCOT, OF PARIS.
Nervous Diseases Controlled by Transmits
| sion and tho Aid of Magnet.
New YORK, january 29.-The Herald's
Paris correspondent sends the following
interview special:
Dr. Charcot said: call sorts of ex-
aggeratcd accounts have appeared about
the experiments in transmission of
hypnotism. In fact, unless the public
are provided with precise information in
matters of scientific discovery, they
naturally mistake the North Pole for the
South Pole, and error and confusion be-
come widely disseminated.
"Wlll you give tho Herald" asked,
y" statement making clear to the public
mlnd the exact state of medical science
concerning hypnotic discoveries?"
"Certalnly," replied DR.. Charcot.
these experiments are conducted under
my general direction by DIR. Babinski.
IhlS is how DIR. Babinslli carries them
on: The subjects are seated back to back
and magnet is held to the sido of one
OF them. 1t IS not necessary that there
should be actual contact between the
subjects, but if there is the transmission
IS more rapid than when they are at O.
distance from one another.
TRIAL OF GIRL PATIENTS.
"Tho experiments of DR.. Babinski
must be divided into several categories.
TO the first category belong experiments
made Oh two young girls who suffered
from hyStcrlcal epilepsy and exhibited
all tho phenomena Of extreme hypnotism
rs they have been described my me.
The patients were first hypnotized. Then
DR.. Babinski produced, first in one and
then i'll the other, diflcrcnt apparent
hyStcrical symptoms of paralysis of tho
arm and Of the leg, coXuIgia, dumbncss,
etc. The patient thus attacked by an
artificial hystcrical affection is brought
INTO rapport with his companion, near
whom the magnet has been placed. In
few moments Il transfer takes place,
the symptoms disappear i'll No. | patient
and rcappcar ut the same instant in No.
2. They pass thus from ono to tho
other. Moreover, it is easy, by sug-
gcstion, to rid No. 2 patient of tho affec-
ton.
HOW MALADIES MAY BE CURED.
''ln n second category Of experiments
NJ. BaliinslI took male or female patients
presenting different phases of hysteria,
not nrtiicially induced in this case, but
! manifested spontuncOuSl THAT is to
say, Independently Of all suggestion
such, Ill fact, as to lead to tho admission
OF the patients III question into the hos
pltnl. He then placed them i'll rapport
with one or the other Of the subjects of
experiment referred to above. These he
hypnotizcd preliminarily, and Mt their
side put the magnet. The hypnotized
subject thcrcupon ut once displayed the
same manifestations of hystcra as those
Of the patient ut whose side he had been
/ pnccd. But the latter retained his
! mnlady at the end Of tho experiment.
"M. Bakinski then, by suggestion, re-
llcNcS the hypnOtizcd subject of tho
affection that has been transmitted to
him, and resumes the experiment. BY
repeating the muncuVro number of
times moro or less considerable he has
succeeded i'll several cases in bringing
about IN attenuation and even complete
cure OF the malndy."
OTHER CASES OF SUCCESSFUL TREATMENT,
"llcre, for instance, arc few of tho
observations made by NJ. Baliinski: In
two cases he obtained IL complete cure
OF hystcrlc dumbncsS; one Of them was
Of eight days and the other Of two
+ months standing. He succeeded in
causing the disappearance in IL few days
! OF hyStrrc paralysis i'll the right side of
the body OF years standing. In
quarter Of al hour and after four success
Slvc experiments nc cured case Of
hcmlplcgy that hud arisen ten hours
previously. The attempt must be the
OftcuCr repeated the older tho affection
happens to be.
"In third category Of experiments
NJ. BallinsN obtained the transmission
to hypnOtiZCd subject Of certain phe-
momcnn associated with organic alice
tions of the nervous system, such as
sOftcninG of the brain and cerebral
hcmtanthropiN in children. These last
experiments yet needed completing.
NJ. CIIAHcoT'S coNcLUSIONs.
'"Ihc dillcront experiments here dis
ctsSCd will DC seen to have interest for
psychology on the one hand and for
therapeutics on the other. But NJ.
Bukin8li thinks that they are not yet
numerous enough to make possible the
construction Of amy theory on the sub
j"ct, and it IS his intention to continue
his researches. In the present state Of
science 1t IS impossible to explain in any
way the mechanism Of the transmission
i'll question from one subject to another.
But what Of that? Facts must always
be accepted when they arc vigorously
observed, cvon if their inner meaning be
unintcliigiblo. Now, as the facts stated
above lave been aSccrtaincd with all the
method and yigor that ought to be ON
plOycd i'll scientific researches; rs cycry
cause Of crrOr--notably, the possibility
Of pretcnSc-has been carefully avoided,
NJ. Bakinski has deemed it his duty
from tots moment to make such sacts
known to the medical public.
The Social Finc Art.